Engine-starter.



F. BRIGGS.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 2a, 1911.

1,039,357; Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK BRIGGS, 0F CARD, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB 0F dNE-HALI TO CLYDE E. KENYON, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 28, 1911.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

Serial No. 657,206.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, F1iA1-'IK BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing' at Caro, in the county of Tuscola and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine- Starters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In cranking or starting explosive engines in automobiles or boats, the so-called back kick of the engine where the explosion takes place before the crank affected has ne over the center often results in serious injury to the operator and also frequently damages the mechanism itself.

This invention relates to a starter for antomobiles or the like which may be manipulated from the operators seat or station and which is so disposed that there can be no injury to the operator from the backward movementof the engine under premature explosion.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partially in section and partially in side elevation, o.a starting device that embodies features of the invention; Fi 2 is a view in elevation of the front end 0 a device with a section line 1-1 showin the plane of the drawing of Fig. 1; and 1g. 3 IS a view in section taken on line 111-111 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings a driving shaft 1 is adapte to be directly coupled as herein indicated or otherwise connected with the main shaft of a motor to which the device is applied. A friction cone 2 is non-rotatably secured asby a key 3 or the like to the shaft with a sleeve or hub 4 screwthreaded to receive jam nuts 5. The latter force an outer friction casing 6 against the cone 2, a lining 7 of fiber or other suitable material being interposed or being secured to one or the other of the meeting faces of the cone and casing. Ratchet teeth 8 areformed on or securedtoa e9on the la rend of the eaainglti and bya dog 10 pivota 'ymoun on a, lug 11 extending from a bearing bracket 12 embracing theshaft 1, support. v v

A pinion 13isjournaled cn the shaft 1 adjacent the angular flange 9 with a disk 14 or from other suitable stationery acting as an end thrust bearing against the latter flange and a roller cam wheel 15 within the flange. The latter together with the disk 14 may be secured to the pinion 13 to move therewith asby cross pins 16 or the like or it may be made integral therewith. The roller cam wheel 15 has a plurality of peripheral faces 17 eccentric to the proximate inner peripheral face of the flange 9 so that when moved in one direction cam rollers 18 interposed between the flange and the faces 17 wedge between them and carry the flange and consequently the casing 2 with the pinion.

A rack 19 longitudinally reciprocable in the bracket 11 or other suitable guide way meshes with the pinion 13 and may be operatively connected to a lever or other means to rotate the casing through the clutch mechanism described. As shown in Fig. 2 the rack is near its initial position and when moved to its extreme limit of motion in the direction indicated by the arrow, a stop 20 thereon engages a bell crank or arm 21. on the dog 10 and lifts the latter out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 8 against the influence of a sprin finger 22 so that when the rack is in initia or throw out position it is entirely disengaged from the clutch mechanism. As a result of this construction reciprocation of the rack turns the shaft that operates the machine through the frictional engagement of the cone and casing with the detent or dog dropping into engagement and lockin the parts against retrograde movement. Tf, however, premature ex losion takes place before the engine crank as assed the center the resultant forcible bac ard movement of the engine and its drive shaft causes the sleeve and cone to slip on each other so that the'opterator is not affected in any way and cannot be injured.

Obviously, changes in the details of'con struction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim is 1. A starting device for explosive engines comprising a shaft, a friction cone thereon, a cesinal m rotatable, frictlonel ent m the cone, having an inner ripheral face concentric with the shaft, 1: 'vmg member on the shaft with-x10 in the face having outer curvilinear faces rollers adapted to wedge between the cam correspondingly eccentric to the inner face of the casing, rolling members between the concentric face of the casing and adjacent eccentric faces of the member each having a diameter greater than the shortest distance between the concentric and eccentric faces between which the member lies, means for oscillating the member on the shaft and means for locking the casing when the latter is freed from engagement with the rolling members by the movement of the driving member.

2. A starting device for explosive en.- gines comprising a driving shaft, a friction cone secured thereon, a casing in adjustable frictional engagement with the cone, anannnlar flange at one end of the casing, a (Hill roller wheel journaled on the shaft within the flange and prmided with cam Faces eccentric to the flange, cam rollers adapted to wedge between the eccentric faces and the flange when the roller wheel is niowd in one direction, a dog adapted to positively loci; the casing from turning in the other direction, and reciprocahle means for turning the roller wheel ada ted when in initial position to hold the 0g disengagged.

A starting device for explosive engines comprising a driving shaft, a friction cone secured thereon, a casing in adjustable frictional engagement With the cone provided with an annular flange, ratchet teeth on the flange, a cam roller wheel journaled on the shaft within the flange provided with cam faces eccentric to the flange, cam

faces and the flange when the roller wheel is turned in one direction, a dog adapted to engage the flange teeth and lock the casing from turning in the other direction, a pinion journaled on the shaft for rotating the cam roller wheel, and a reeiprocable rack in mesh with the pinion adapted when moved into initial position to trip the dog and hold the same disengaged.

4. A starting device for explosive engines comprising a driving shaft, a friction cone secured thereon having a screwthreaded hub, a casing in frictional engagement with the cone, jam nuts in screwthreaded engagement with the conehulo for forcing the casing against the cone, an annular flange on the casing, a cam roller wheel journaled on the shaft and provided with peripheral cam faces eccentric to the flange, cam rollers adapted to wedge between the cam faces and the flange when the cam roller wheel is turned in one direction, ratchet teeth on the flange, a dog engaging the teeth for locking the casing against movement in the other direction, a pinion rotatable on the shaft secured to the cam roller Wheel, and a reciprocable rack in mesh with the pinion adapted to trip the dog when moved into initial position and to hold the same disengaged.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK BRIGGS.

VV'tnesses:

ANNA M. DORR, C. R. STIOKNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fcom missioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.? i 

